Inside Unmanned Systems

AUG-SEP 2018

Inside Unmanned Systems provides actionable business intelligence to decision-makers and influencers operating within the global UAS community. Features include analysis of key technologies, policy/regulatory developments and new product design.

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46 August/September 2018 unmanned systems
inside
AIR HAZARD TRACKING
detect radiation
O
ver the last few years, drones have become a popular tool for a variety
of applications at nuclear facilities, including both indoor and outdoor
inspections and mapping. The industry is starting to trust unmanned
aircraft systems (UAS) to improve safety for their workers, save time
and cut costs—and that includes using the tec hnology to detect radia-
tion levels after incidents and during routine monitoring.
Drone companies like Charlotte UAV and FlyCam UAV have partnered with
radiation instrument manufacturers to develop robust systems capable of carry-
ing the necessary payloads. Some facilities are already using this type of technol-
ogy for radiation detection (FlyCam has offered its DroneRad solution for about
three years) while many others like Southern Nuclear, which is part of Southern
Company, are just starting to look into its benefits.
"The idea is we're going to eliminate the need to put lives at risk by using an
aerial robot," Southern Company UAS Standardization Pilot Corey Hitchcock said,
noting Southern Nuclear has used UAS for a variety of applications since 2015
including containment inspection and mapping. "We're looking to use multiple
aircraft to determine the extent of the plume or the boundaries of the release."
Photos courtesy of FlyCam UAV.
Equipped with the right
sensors, unmanned aerial
vehicles (UAVs) can help
determine radiation levels
after incidents in nuclear
facilities as well as during
routine monitoring.
by Renee Knight
The Neo octocopter from
FlyCam UAV. This prototype
drone was built by the
University of Nevada to
navigate nuclear waste
storage tunnels.
drones
"USING U S TO DETECT
RADIATION IN A POST-ACCIDENT SCENARIO
WOULD BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL.
THE SYSTEMS WOULD ALLOW US TO MAP
THE RADIATION LEVELS WITHIN AN AREA
SO WE KNOW WHERE WE CAN SAFELY SEND
PERSONNEL AND WHERE WE CAN'T."
Sam Johnson, EPRI